Saunders Learning Group provides training programs on financial services topics. They develop both standard and custom programs on a wide range of topics. Their founder, Floyd Saunders, can be contacted for more information about their training offerings. They also publish books on financial topics.
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Financial planning overview
1. Financial Services Industry Training
Introduction to
Financial Planning Industry
Saunders Learning Group, LLC
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
2. Training from Saunders Learning Group
Saunders Learning Group provides a variety
of training programs, workshops and
seminars targeted to the financial services
industry.
Programs are available in a wide range of
topics, and we are specialists in developing
custom programs that are targeted to your
needs.
Contact the founder, Floyd Saunders at
316-680-6482 or at
floyd@floydsaunders.com for more
information.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
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3. Reference Material
Figuring Out Wall Street Consumer’s Guide To
Financial Markets
By Floyd Saunders
Publisher: Saunders Learning Group
ISBN: 978-0-9824019-0-3
Available from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Figuring-Out-Wall-Street-
Consumers/dp/0982401906
and many other online book stores.
Book summary: Figuring Out Wall Street, is the
concise guide to help everyone understand how what to do
now to restore our financial systems. Written in an easy to
understand manner, even the most complex financial
concepts are easy to digest. This book provides help to
monitor investments with a review of investment products,
financial regulators and economic indicators. Learn how the
stock market exchanges work and the world of investment
banking, hedge funds, venture capital and private equity.
Every chapter includes action plans for investing.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
4. Topics
1. Jobs in the Financial Planning Industry
2. Purpose of Financial Planning
3. Financial Planning Certifications
4. Financial Planning Regulation
5. Registered Investment Advisor
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 3
5. Financial Planning Industry
Creates financial plans, and typically acts to implement those plans with a variety
Function of financial products and services. May be offered as the primary service or as
part of business line.
Prospecting clients (usually through "cold calling")
Collects information to prepare a financial plan
Prepares a financial plan for client
Works with client to implement the plan with a variety of financial products and
services
Example May work with other professionals on specialized or unique planning and
activities financial needs
Networks with other professionals to acquire new clients
Inform the client of new products (such as different types of insurance or
annuities) that the company is offering that could be useful in attaining certain
financial goals
Managements investments on behalf of the client
Meets for annual or periodic reviews of financial plan vs. goals.
Most banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and mutual funds offer
Example some sort of financial planning service or practice.
Companies Fee only financial planners are typically smaller firms.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 4
6. Jobs in Financial Planning
Most financial planning professional either work for themselves or take
positions with:
• Banks
• Financial planning organizations
• Life insurance companies
• Accounting or law firms
• Stockbrokerage and securities brokers
• Mutual Fund managers
• Credit counseling organizations
• Large companies to look after employee benefits
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
7. Purpose of Financial Planning
What is the purpose of financial planning?
To help the client determine how they can meet their personal goals
through the proper management of their financial resources.
Why a financial planner instead of a stockbroker or accountant?
Financial planners take the “big picture” view of a persons financial
situation and make recommendations based on the clients needs in
such areas as:
Budgeting
Savings
Taxes
Investments
Insurance
Retirement planning
Estate Planning
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
8. Purpose of Financial Planning
The responsibility of the financial planner is to
establish a client-planner relationship and:
1. Gather client data, including goals and objectives
2. Analyze and evaluate the client financial status
3. Develop and present financial planning
recommendations and/or alternative
4. Implement the financial planning
recommendations
5. Monitor the financial planning recommendations
and re-evaluate as necessary
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
9. What is a “financial planner”?
The term, financial planner, is a broad and can apply to a number of
different financial professionals.
Almost any life/annuity agent or securities representative can will refer to
themselves as a financial planner, regardless of their licensing,
certifications, education, experience or their product specialization.
Agents and reps are commonly referred to as financial planners by the
industry and the media.
So the term “financial planner” is
non-specific and widely used inside and
outside the financial planning industry,
and generally refers to anyone who is
licensed to sell in any part of the financial
planning industry.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 8
10. Financial Planning certifications
A number of certification are available to designate a planner with
“credentials” indicating education, experience and adherence to a set of
professional ethics.
This normally entitles the professional to use the initials of the
certification at the end of their name, on their business cards, letterhead,
advertising materials, etc.
For example, John Doe, CLU, CFP®.
Professional Certifications include:
Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)
Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
Registered Financial Consultant (RFC)
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 9
11. Financial Planning Regulation
The financial planning industry, life insurance/annuities and securities industries are heavily regulated.
Insurance/annuity sales are regulated primarily by each state
Securities sales are regulated by both state securities commissions and the federal
government (SEC, primarily through the NASD).
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 10
12. Registered Investment Advisor
An important sub-segment of the securities industry is the “registered investment
advisor” or “registered investment advisory firm”, both generally known as RIA.
RIAs operate under securities laws, but work a little differently than registered
reps. Rather than earning commissions from the sale of securities, they charge
their clients flat fees or fixed percentages for managing the clients’ money or doing
the investment planning for the client.
These fees may be a percentage of the money under management for a given
client, say 1.5% per year of the total client money under management, may be
hourly, or may be a combination of both.
Either way, this is called “fee based planning” or “fee only planning”.
Fee based or fee only planning is a common term which RIAs use to describe their
services.
The advantage for the client is that the RIA will not be tempted to sell the client a
security solely to generate a commission.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 11
13. Overview Of Financial Planning Sales Network
Most broker dealers either own a life insurance company or the BD is
owned by a life insurance company. A life insurance company and Broker
Dealer must be maintained as separate companies.
Each sales person maintains their life insurance securities licenses.
Securities sales are handled through the Broker Dealer and life insurance
sales handled through the life insurance company.
Most major life insurance companies have their own sales office network,
and these offices are called “general agencies”.
The person in charge of the general agency is called the “general agent”.
In addition to the individual agents being independent, commission based
contractors, the general agent is also commission based.
Some examples of these types of companies are: Prudential,
Metropolitan, Lincoln, and Massachusetts Mutual.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS Slide 12
14. Structure of a Financial Planning Firm
While there are many different types, major divisions might include:
Budgeting and Debt Reduction
Advice and analysis on proper budgeting and savings and debt reduction
strategies and help
Investments and Research
Advice and analysis on financial assets, asset allocation, and security
selection
Insurance
Advice and analysis on using insurance products to achieve your financial
goals
Retirement and Estate Planning
Advice and analysis on retirement and estate planning to help individuals
achieve their goals and minimize taxes
Financial planning is a process, not a product.
While it can be performed in conjunction with providing financial products, it can
also be a distinct and separate part of the practice.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS
18. About the Author/Presenter
Floyd Saunders has worked on Wall Street
with both Bank of America and JPMorgan,
where is was a vice president in global
financial systems. He has worked across the
industry in retail, commercial, and
investment banking.
He has taught courses in Money and Banking
and extensively for the American Institute of
Banking and various colleges.
As a consultant, he developed and taught a
wide range of banking and investing courses.
He authored three programs for the
American Bankers Association: Banking on
Mutual Funds and Annuities, Introduction to
Securities Markets and Investing in Securities.
He is the author of “Figuring Out Wall Street”
and his next book is “Family Financial
Freedom” a book on personal money
management.
Saunders Learning Group, LLC, Andover, KS